Extra Guac or Brand New Top? How To Successfully Thrift Shop In College

https://instagram.com/p/r784_ED8wI Okay, we can all agree that the number one struggle with college students is money. Really, it's everybody’s struggle. But as students, we constantly have to choose between wasting money on school needs, food, going out, or clothes to wear out. Of course, for shopping addicts like me, I would choose to buy a killer wardrobe over pretty much anything. The thing is, if you sent all your money on clothes, you'd either fall behind in school or adopt an unhealthy eating habit because you’re probably eating a bag a chips for lunch in exchange for that killer blouse you just had to have. Ah, the price we fashionistas pay for the perfect look.

Shopping lovers—I will share my tricks to the trade of budgeting for actual needs and shopping till dropping. I present to you, the art of thrift shopping.

I consider thrift shopping as my legit number one hobby. I love shopping, but it is so painful to walk in a store where every single piece of clothing is to die for, but you only have the budget to buy one. It’s not fair (and even less fair for fashion addicts who's wallets are pleading for help). This is why thrift shopping is the key to a fashionista's success. To learn the art of thrift shopping is to learn the art of uncovering life's finest treasures. Usually when you walk into a thrift store you can’t spot all the beauties in the store from just one glance, they're usually two dollars.

In order to master the art of thrift shopping, you're going to need two very important things: patience and open mindedness. Patience is a must because there's going to be a lot of clothing options that you will not like (also known as, no-way-in-hell pieces). Nevertheless, *boom* the real hidden gems will eventually appear if you search for them, rack by rack.

With that said, you have to enter these stores with an open mind. You're not necessarily going to find that exact patch work jacket that is going to be the it thing this upcoming fall season, but usually you can find pieces that are similar which is even better. Finding things that are similar to the "it" trend but are somewhat different will make you stand out in the fashion crowd, therefore making you instantly cooler.

Sometimes you may not fall in love with the piece when you first lay eyes on, but if you at least stopped to acknowledge the garment, it means that it caught your attention and has a little something-something to it. That's how you know it has potential. Think about it for a little while, try it on, look in the mirror, and consider what you have in your current closet that you could pair it with. Even if nothing comes to mind, if you're still thinking about it by the time you're checking out, just buy the damn thing. Odds are it's three dollars tops, so you really have nothing to lose.

My final word of advice is to head over to the store with a maximum of twenty dollars and a minimum of whatever you have in your wallet. Keep in mind that it could even be one dollar. Twenty dollars is even pushing it... personally I never drop that much cash on one thrift shopping spree. Instead of wasting money for a Chipotle burrito with extra guac, save your nine bucks, eat at the dining hall, and head over to a thrift shop to get two unique pieces for three dollars each.

Some of the best thrift shops around campus include 3fifteen (located in Marshall Square Mall), Goodwill, and Salvation Army. I personally copped a killer faux fur green jacket at 3fifteen and it was half price so I got it for only ten bucks. This thrift store has helped me stay warm in Syracuse’s horrific weather and has kept me fashion forward. If you can afford a Canada Goose jacket, you're a lucky gal (or guy). If not, pop into a thrift shop for a quicky and see what you find.

In the end, it's not how much your whole wardrobe is worth, but how you make it work for you. As cliché as it might sound, confidence is always key. Strut your stuff around campus and work that ten dollar wardrobe. It’ll look better than the basic shit everyone else is wearing.